HARRISBURG - Lawmakers face action on three bills that chart different courses for the county-run human services program when they return to session next week.
The measures, which face committee action in the House and Senate, address the next step for the human services block grant being tried out as a pilot in 20 counties, including Luzerne and Wayne. The block grant established last year by the Corbett administration gives counties some ability to shift state funds to meet needs among specific programs, including mental health and disabilities, drug and alcohol services, human services development fund, child welfare grants and homeless assistance. Supporters of the block grants say it gives more flexibility to county officials, while critics say the block grants were accompanied by state spending cuts that have led to waiting lists for those services in counties.
The House Health Committee is scheduled Monday to consider a bill sponsored by Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-124, Tamaqua, to extend the block grant next year to 10 counties that applied to the Department of Public Welfare to participate, but didn't make the initial 20-county limit. Mr. Knowles' bill would give first preference to those 10 counties and if any opt out, other counties could apply for the slot.
The House Human Services Committee meets Tuesday to consider a bill sponsored by panel chairman Gene DiGirolamo, R-18, Bensalem, to repeal the block grant program. In its place, he proposes reallocating any unspent state human services money at the county level.
The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee meets Wednesday to consider a third bill to allow any of the 67 counties that meet criteria set by DPW to participate in the block grant program. The measure, sponsored by panel chairwoman Sen. Pat Vance, R-31, Camp Hill, is similar to the approach sought by the Corbett administration.
An ultimate decision on the size of the block grant could determine how much state funds are available for the human services programs in the next state budget. Funding is set at current levels in the budgets proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett and the House Republican majority, but Mr. DiGirolamo is pressing to restore an $84 million cut made last year to the human services programs.
Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com